4.2 Getting help from Maple

The Maple help function has extensive documentation for all built-in functions and libraries. You can invoke help like this:

> help( int );

FUNCTION: int or Int -   definite and indefinite integration

CALLING SEQUENCES:
int(f, x)                      Int(f, x)
int(f, x=a..b, ...)            Int(f, x=a..b, ...)

[ ... et cetera ... ]

Or, you can use the shorthand notation ?int:

> ?int

FUNCTION: int or Int -   definite and indefinite integration

CALLING SEQUENCES:
int(f, x)                      Int(f, x)
int(f, x=a..b, ...)            Int(f, x=a..b, ...)

[ ... et cetera ... ]

Notice that with the shorthand form, you don't need to put a semicolon at the end of the line. This one of the few situations in Maple where the semicolon is not required.

In XMaple, you can use the above forms, which pop up a help window, or you can use the drop-down Help menu, from which you can launch a Help Browser.

Keith Orpen, who is still writing this, would like to hear your comments and suggestions.